EEDC authorizes $10,000 investment

EEDC authorizes $10,000 investment
to help promote Edinburg through film

By DAVID A. DÍAZ
Legislativemedia@aol.com
Add film-making as the latest innovative way being used by the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation to promote higher education, cultural enrichment, fine arts, and a positive image of the three-time All-America City.
On Tuesday, June 24, the EEDC – the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council – approved investing $10,000 to help cover some of the production costs of The Red Queen, an action-thriller being filmed in and around Edinburg that is using major film personalities, such as Valley native Valente Rodríguez (The George López Show), Estaphania LeBaron (The Alamo), Óscar Torre (Cane) and Harley Jane Kozak (Parenthood).
The EEDC's governing board, which is appointed by the Edinburg City Council, includes Mayor Joe Ochoa, former Mayor Richard García, who serves as board president, Fred Palacios, Dr. Glenn A. Martínez, Ph.D., and Elias Longoria, Jr.
The Red Queen focuses on a young woman’s search for the true identity of her deceased mother.
David B. Carren, an associate professor in communications at the University of Texas-Pan American, is directing the film from his original screenplay, which is based on a story idea by a fellow UTPA faculty member – Dr. Jack Stanley – who is a professor in communications at the local higher education institution.
Carren’s credits as a writer/producer include Star Trek, the Next Generation, Walker, Texas, Ranger, and Diagnosis Murder.
Stanley is credited as the executive producer of the motion picture.
But his written pitch to the EEDC board of directors asking them to participate in the film's success was good enough to draw the proverbial "Two Thumbs Up!" from the local municipal entity.
The request came from Stanley through University Theatre Productions, which is the dramatic production arm of the University of Texas-Pan American.
"A wide variety of promotional activities exists," Stanley contended in his letter to the EEDC government board. "In addition to (Edinburg) being featured prominently in the film credits, product placement is possible in the filming by judicious use of signage as appropriate."
Product placement is a growing and accepted trend by which manufacturers or advertisers pay a fee in order for branded products to be prominently displayed in a movie, TV show or other media production.
"The film itself features principally Edinburg locations and portrays the city in a positive light," Stanley noted. "Furthermore, the University of Texas-Pan American and The University of Texas System make formal official recognition of each gift, in ways that vary with the size of the gift. The EEDC will also be officially credited in the motion picture."
The EEDC board of directors unanimously approved the request, which also included a recommendation for approval from Ramiro Garza, Jr., the EEDC executive director, who noted the movie will also promote economic growth.
In addition to the four professional actors already on board, filmmakers projected as many as 26 other area residents would play roles in the movie, along with non-speaking extras for certain scenes, according to Marion Monta, the movie's casting director.
Also, more than 40 students were enrolled in a filmmaking summer course at UTPA, assigned to handle every aspect of pre- and post-production, as well as work all the various crews during the shooting schedule. They were going to be acting, doing makeup, running cameras and sound equipment, and performing the myriad of tasks that go into the making of a movie," she said.
Carren said the movie could soon be featured in various competitions nationwide, thus introducing countless new people to Edinburg and UT-Pan American.
"If our schedule holds up and we don’t run out of funding, we expect to have it ready to enter into various competitions, like the Sundance Film Festival, this fall," Carren said. "We want to get the university and the theatre-television-film program here all the national exposure we can."
The Sundance Film Festival, which takes place once a year in Utah, is the largest independent cinema festival in the U.S. It is considered the premier showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers.

Legislative Media reports on major legislation that affects South Texans. For more on this, and related stories, please log on to www.EdinburgPolitics.com